Hey there, middle schoolers! So, there was this election in Rivers State, Nigeria, for the position of governor. The candidate from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Patrick Tonye-Cole, wasn’t happy with the result. He filed a petition against the winner, Governor Siminalayi Fubara from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
But guess what? The Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which is like a special court for election disputes, dismissed Tonye-Cole’s petition. They said that the national leadership of the APC actually withdrew from the case against Fubara. So, the tribunal didn’t think Tonye-Cole’s case was strong enough to continue.
It’s not just Tonye-Cole’s petition that got dismissed. The tribunal also threw out the petitions filed by the candidates from the Labour Party (LP), Accord Party (AP), and Alliance Peoples Movement (APM). They all claimed that Fubara’s victory was unfair, but the tribunal didn’t find their arguments convincing.
So, in the end, the tribunal ruled that all the petitions lacked merit. They said that the candidates couldn’t prove their claims. As a result, Fubara gets to keep his position as the governor of Rivers State.
Oh, and one more thing! The tribunal also decided to fine one of the petitioners, Innocent Ekwu from the Alliance Peoples Movement (APM), N500,000. They thought his petition was not good enough and wanted to send a message that filing weak petitions can have consequences.
So, that’s the story, my middle school friends. Tonye-Cole and other candidates tried to challenge Fubara’s victory, but the tribunal didn’t think they had enough evidence. Fubara gets to continue being the governor, and one of the petitioners has to pay a fine. It’s all about fairness and proving your case in court!
